Iowa State senior tackle Jake Campos poses for a portrait during the Iowa State football team media day at Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility on the Iowa State campus in Ames on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017.(Photo: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register)Buy Photo

But like many other trying times in his career, Campos battled the adversity in 2014 as a redshirt freshman and got through it.

Campos will be reflecting on many of those moments before his final home game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday when No. 23 Iowa State hosts No. 15 Oklahoma State at 11 a.m.

“It’s kind of crazy, especially ending how it is right now, how this season’s going,” Campos said. “It’s been really, really special having to battle through some stuff the first couple of years and then coming out with a team this special and this close, it’s really awesome.”

Now a redshirt senior, Campos has been through a lot at Iowa State. The former West Des Moines Valley star began the 2014 season as a backup.

That role unexpectedly changed when Jacob Gannon, Iowa State’s starting right tackle, temporarily left the team. Campos, who had yet to even play a snap, was thrown into the deep end and lined up against Kansas State all-Big 12 defensive lineman Ryan Mueller.

“I was not ready to play, and I said that I was in there because I needed to be, not because I should have been,” Campos said. “It was circumstance that I got in there. I did the best I could, and I really learned a lot from it. I think it was beneficial.”

That day would be the start of a long and crazy career for Campos, who started the final 11 games of the season. There were plenty of bumps and bruises the rest of way.

A year later, he suffered a tore hip labrum but still started all 12 of Iowa State’s games. Campos then missed the entire 2016 season after breaking his leg in fall camp.

There were other challenges as well. Campos has gone through three position coaches, two head coaches and has been moved around on Iowa State's injury-plagued offensive lines.

“There’s been a lot of ups and downs in my career with this team,” Campos said. “Even just the end of this season. I think this has been a really good representation of we had a lot of highs and some lows. It’s really about trying to the find the right balance.”

Campos' coping ability has made him one of Iowa State's leaders. His work ethic has as well. During the summer, he lifted with both the offensive and defensive lines. Players on both sides of the ball got to see a first-hand look at how determined Campos was to come back from his broken leg.

“I thought that was really good for that group to see Jake work,” said Iowa State coach Matt Campbell. “I think everybody’s got a lot of respect for what he’s gone through to get back and what he does day in and day out to go out and be able to compete right now for this football team.”

Campos has also anchored a young Iowa State line that has tons of potential.

“He’s meant a lot,” said Iowa State offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Tom Manning. “He’s meant a lot to me. I think he’s a really special kid and a tremendous leader, and he’s a good guy to be around because he does it the right way.”

Campos will go through senior day festivities on Saturday. Campbell said he doesn’t think a medical redshirt from the time lost last year would be available. With the end nearing, Campos is happy he’s toughed it out with his senior teammates.

“’We’ve all really come together and decided we’ve had enough,” Campos said of the Cyclone programs' culture. “We need to get this changed.”

Thanks to players such as Campos, they have.

“I think he’s really instilled great leadership on both sides of the ball,” Campbell said.